Arriving State Side

Well, I left Uganda on May 15th and arrived in JFK on May 16th. The first thing I noticed was on the drive home, most cars had one maybe two passangers. For those of you in Africa, you know that a car would never leave until it was over flowing with at least 9 people in a four door, 12 people in a jeep, and 26 people in a truck. One of many differences I would notice in the first day back.

Toilets, showers, and carpet are luxuries that I had no problem re-adjusting too.

I struggled with jet leg for the first three days home. Went to bed around 1930 and would wake up at 0400. I spent two days at up in New York unpacking and organizing everything. I then got back on a plane to fly to DC where I have been staying for the past week.

Today marks a full week back in the states. I don't have words of wisdom to share. And I am not quite sure what emotions I am battling with. While my mind is constantly back in Uganda, I am enjoying the days here. I have spent the past week excercising and spending down time just preparing my heart for this new direction/focus. I am getting excited to jump into the whirl wind of visiting friends and family. Thanks for your patience with me.

I will be sending out an update real soon!

Jump On In

Hold on! Hear comes the 'flying squirrel' falls! I talked my mom into white water rafting down from the source of the Nile River. It was an intense experience. There were class five falls with a few smaller ones. We got on the water at 0830 and didn't get off until 1630.

I soon realized after the first fall that it is more fun to be outta the boat as we proceed down the falls then in it. They tried to convince me that the goal was to make it thru the fall without tipping or falling out of the boat. I was not convinced - before we even got to the rapids I jumped.
The thrill of it gave me such a high. The power of the waves would suck my body under with a terrifying force. If you fought it then it would take that much longer to surface. I remember being whipped around and just smiling under the water as I relaxed and raced down the Nile.

My mom was hard corps and hung in there with us. The only downer was at certain points we weren't allowed to jump over to swim because of the crocodiles but over all - SWEET!

Charging Chimps

We woke early to begin our Indiana Jones adventure to find the hidden community of chimpanzees. Racing in the brisk morning air, we arrived in just enough time to catch public transportation to Kibale National Forest. Crowding nine people into a small car, we sat on top of each and held our breath as a nice body aroma filled the car. Our guide was waiting for us at the entrance of the trail; he smart fully had on rubber boots. After a mini lecture where he instructed us to not make mimicking noises of the monkeys because we won’t know what we are saying to them…we began our journey.

Within the first ten minutes, I of course stopped right in a red ant hill and started to dance as they bit me. Definitely see where the saying “ants in the pants” come from. This did not distract us from our hunt for chimps though I was a bit uncomfortable. About 35 minutes into our search we came across a friendly quite large chimpanzee! He didn’t seem at all impressed with these noisy tourists following behind him. We tracked through the under bush behind him as he led us to the community of chimpanzees.

Upon our arrival at the community, we were greeted by the second in command as he came charging at us. My mom quickly grasped my arm as he let loose with high pitched screams of terror; I am still trying to perfect just how he sounded to demonstrate for you. He pounded on the tree trunks as he headed our way. Our guide told us to stand our ground and sure enough he charged right past us into the midst of relaxing chimps who quickly scattered at his display of authority. Phew quite thrilling.

After about three hours we were ready to head back. The chimp and I kissed and we departed with no hard feelings. (ps. Aunt Jenn this is not a real chimp unlike that real elephant before. hehe)

The Arrival of Mom

After many days of anxiously awaiting the arrival of my mom, she is finally here in Uganda with me. It is such a thrill to have her here and be able to show her a part of what my life has been like. She packed all her tourist tools including binoculars and a safari hat which is great cause for teasing. The camera has become a permanent extension of her hand. At 130 pictures a day, it is fun to see Fort Portal thru her eyes.

She was quite shocked when she realized my toilet REALLY was a hole in the ground and that toilet paper was scarce. The lizards and rats haven’t seemed to bother her too much; though the rooster crowing constantly around midnight has heightened her dislike of roosters. I just chuckle and sleep right thru.

She has been quite the trooper so far – as we walk all over the village and national forest. She figures between all the walking, hills, and squatting over the hole that she will have great calf muscles when she returns home. With her arrival, it also signals the end of my time here in Uganda. It is as if my home life is now slowly creeping back and invading my life in Africa. It is a balancing act to work thru the excitement of going home among all the sadness of leaving. Today is my last day in Fort Portal (my home here) and tomorrow we will be off to be tourists in Uganda. It will be an opportunity for us to spend five days just seeing all the sites and having a good time. I will post as we travel.

Head Ache?

You think you have problems? This guy had a head full of problems...haha. Yes, I am too corny but this pictures was too good to not post. Welcome to the meat market of Uganda.

The Porcupine

“Mooomm! Nathan is touching me! He is on my side of the car!” While Americans have this invisible two foot bubble that marks their personal space, I have always had a bubble four feet wide. My family can testify to my dislike of hugs, cuddling, unnecessary touching. I have long struggled to demonstrate my love to those who derive their love from physical displays of love. Jokes on me, I was sent to Uganda.

I offered my hand to the first Ugandan I met to give a friendly hand shake – he didn’t let go. As he greeted me and continued to ask about my journey my eyes were glued to his hand still holding onto mine. My heart started pounding, I heard nothing he was saying as I kept asking myself, “why is he still holding my hand, this is awkward, why won’t he let go”. Little did I know this was the first of many attacks that would be made on Katy’s Personal Bubble.

I began to pray daily that God would help me adapt to this cultural where you hugged twice before letting go, you stood to talk with shoulders touching if not mere inches separating your faces, hand holding was as common among girl friends as it was between men. Then a Ugandan explained, “we are can not be private in our lives but we are private with our minds”. They live anywhere from 7-12 people per small compound, privacy is not an option.

As time went on, I realized how true this statement was for most Ugandans at least in their interaction with foreigners especially. While they are always willing to share their money problems they are less likely to share personal struggles. The women would never come and share about the beatings they received at home, the hours they work and the toll it is taking on their bodies, the anger they feel at being raped and given aids, the grief over loosing yet another child to starvation or sickness. The children would never tell of the hunger they feel, how their parents can’t afford to send lunch with them to school, of the responsibility they have for their six younger siblings, of witnessing their father drunkenly abuse his family, of the shame they feel when kicked out of the classroom because they have not paid their school fees. When asked how they are, a scripted line ‘I am fine’ will be recited for their audience.

While I cringed at being constantly touched and the lack of physical space, I was brought to the realization that in this other area I had no problem fitting in. Katy the porcupine. I value my physical space just as much as I value the privacy of my mind and heart. As my frustration grew at the lack of intimate friendships here, God opened my eyes to reveal myself in them.

How can there be a friendship if we are both unwilling to share what is in our minds and heart? I was so eager to hear their struggles but guarded to sharing any of mine. I was unwilling to sacrifice and share what was on my heart because that was just too uncomfortable. I look back at my relationships in America and shamefully see this pattern thru out most of them.

Maybe it is a culture difference, maybe it is just me. But I pray that I will learn to live with an open heart to all those around me. Pray that this porcupine will become a little less guarded to those who have shown her so much love.